As the continuing advances in technology have enabled the further miniaturization of the components required to build computer systems, new categories of computer systems have been created. One of the newer categories of computer systems developed has been the portable, hand held, or “palmtop” computer system, referred to as a personal digital assistant or PDA. Other examples of a palmtop computer system include electronic address books, electronic day planners, electronic schedulers and the like.
A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the user's hand and as such is “palm-sized.” As a result, palmtops are readily carried about in the user's briefcase, purse, and in some instances, in the user's pocket. By virtue of its size, the palmtop computer, being inherently lightweight, is therefore exceptionally portable and convenient.
Because of the continuing miniaturization of computer systems and their related components, users of today's portable computers can now carry, in their briefcase, purse, or even their pocket, very powerful computers.
One drawback to the diminutive size of the portable computer system is that the display is also diminutive. Accordingly, the amount of data that can be displayed at one time is substantially less that that of a desktop monitor. Additionally, because the size of the display is smaller, the size of the text and/or graphics are commensurately reduced so as provide as much viewable data as possible given the reduced display area of the portable computer system. While this smaller sized display provides an adequate viewing for many applications, some require large displays.
Another drawback to the diminutive display panel is the quality of the display. To compensate for the diminutive size of the display, the resolution has been proportionally reduced. Another drawback to the diminutive display panel is that only a portion of a page of data may be displayed at one time. If someone is viewing a document that has numerous pages or is attempting to view a large amount of data, the viewer must flip from one screen display to another. In one attempt to provide for viewing a large document that contains multiple pages, a somewhat small scroll icon, displayed on the viewing screen, is provided. To utilize the scroll icon, a stylus, usually included with a portable computer, is used to touch the scroll icon, which results in advancing to the next screen display or reverting to the previous screen. Because of the small display screen, the scroll icon occupies some of the display screen, which can, in some circumstances, reduce the amount of data that can be displayed. While this attempt does provide a way to view data in a multiple format that is perfectly acceptable to many, others may deem the process somewhat inadequate for some of their particular needs, perhaps desiring a more natural way to scroll without having to utilize a somewhat small scroll icon and a stylus.
In another attempt to provide viewing of data in a multiple page format, one of the function buttons disposed upon the front surface of the portable computer system is utilized. To advance to the next page, an up button is depressed. To revert back to the previous page, a down button is depressed. While this attempt provides a way to view data in a multiple page format that is acceptable to many, there may be some who desire a more natural way to advance to a next page of screen display information.